Future of Major League Baseball
In the future, changes to will likely be made. This article features specific speculations –– expansion teams, teams relocating to different cities, changes to team logos and colors, changes in season scheduling, and changes to the game itself. This article also lists speculative future World Series champions, and player, team and baseball records that'll possibly reach. Expansion teams It is assumed that there will be more major league teams in the future. I predict that there will be 32 teams by 2050, compared to 30 teams at present. The expansion teams will be Portland Pioneers and Montreal Saints. Portland Pioneers Portland Pioneers will enfranchise in 2026 and will be in the American League West division. During the franchise's first game, they will host the Seattle Mariners at Cascade Park. Then Seattle Mariners will have a close rivalry. The team colors will be sky blue and green. Their logo will be the green letter 'P' with sky blue enclosure. The Pioneers will have Arizona Diamondback as an interleague rival, meaning every year they'll play six games against them each season, three at each ballpark. The interleague rival series will be called the Varanid Series. Montreal Saints existed from 1969 till 2004 before they moved to Washington and became the Nationals. Numerous Montreal fans were sad following their move to Washington, and player's strike of 1994 may be a blame as Montreal had the best record in baseball when that baseball season was cut short and postseason was cancelled. However, after just 22 years without the baseball team in the city, Montreal will get an expansion team for the second time and be named the Montreal Saints in 2026. Montreal Saints will be in the National League East division. During the opener of that franchise, they will host the Washington Nationals at Labatt Ballpark, which will be built two blocks south of . The first franchise played their home games in . Like the former Montreal team, the interleague rival of Montreal will be Toronto Blue Jays, meaning the Saints will play six games against the Blue Jays every year, three games at each team's ballpark. Expos played against the Blue Jays from the introduction of interleague play in 1994 until their final year in Montreal in 2004. The Expos-Blue Jays matchup was called the , but the Saints-Blue Jays matchup will be called the Lake Ontario Series, since part of the road between the home cities lie near the banks of Lake Ontario. I predict that Montreal Saints will win their first World Series title in 2071 by sweeping the Detroit Tigers. Montreal would have their first World Series championship more than a hundred years after the first team was enfranchised. Who' knows? If player's strike never occurred in 1994, maybe Montreal Expos would have won the World Series and the team would've remain in Montreal. Relocations and renames From now until the year 2050, there will be seven teams relocating either to a different city or their nickname will simply be renamed. Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins, and Chicago White Sox will move to a different city, while Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves will simply be renamed while staying in the city. Tampa Bay Rays to Charlotte have their lowest annual fan attendance of any MLB team; that sparks possible relocation to a different city. St. Petersburg mayor Bill Foster prohibits the team on the lease until 2027. After the lease expired, the team would be free to go, moving to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2028 while keeping their nickname. They will stay in the American League South division. During the relocation, the minor league team will move to Tampa Bay to become the Rays and will be the Triple-A affiliate of the team that just moved from Tampa Bay, switching teams between two cities between MLB and AAA, or essentially downgrading the Tampa Bay team from major league to minor league. Charlotte Rays will use similar team colors except they will change the logo to make it fit for the city they relocated to. They will play in the Meineke Field. Charlotte Rays will still be in the American League South division. During the franchise's first game, they will host the Toronto Blue Jays. The interleague rival of Charlotte Rays will be the Atlanta Braves, meaning they'll play six games against each other every year, three at each ballpark. The Rays-Braves matchup will be called the Savanna Series, due to their nearness to the prominent terrain. I predict that they will win their first World Series title since moving to Charlotte in 2033 by sweeping the Colorado Rockies. Cleveland Indians to Blues In 2031, new owner who is against Native Americans decides to change the nickname to what the franchise started with, Blues. This'll be a good nickname since three different Cleveland franchises were named Blues, including the Indians that started out as Blues. Also it will neatly match with the other colored Ohio team, the Cincinnati Reds. During the first season as the Blues nickname, they will make their first World Series appearance since 1997, then six years later they will end the curse of Rocky Colavito by winning 'em all for the first time in 89 years, since 1948. Houston Astros to Astronauts When the Houston team moved to a new stadium in 1965, the then Houston Colt 45's were intended to rename the team to the Astronauts, but since the domed stadium wanted to end in Dome as suffix, they instead renamed the team to the prefix Astros. Now since the Astros moved out of in 1999, the team name is now eligible to extend it to the original proposal, the Astronauts. During the 2012-13 season when the Astros were transitioning to the American League, team owner Jim Crane considered to possibly extended this nickname along with several entirely different names before keeping the name. In 2033, the team will be rebranded as the Houston Astronauts. From then on, the Astros can still be referred as their alternate nickname. Atlanta Braves to Oaks In 2035, due to the Braves' association with Native Americans, will be renamed to Atlanta Oaks, due to the abundance of oak trees in the Atlanta area. The uniform colors will be maroon, white and gray with green texts. Miami Marlins to Concord Due to its low attendance in Miami, the Marlins will move to Concord,California for the 2030 MLB Season right after Marlins win the World Series over the Pioneers. They will still be in the National League South division. They will play in the BMW Park near Concord High School. The team colors will remain the same except the letters will change from Miami to Concord.The Concord Marlins will host the Oakland Athletics The interleague rival will be the Dallas Rangers, calling the Marlins-Rangers matchup the Development Series. This will be the most distant separation between interleague rivals in baseball. I predict that Concord Marlins will win their first World Series title in 2090 over the Cleveland Indians in six games. Division realignment With two new teams added in 2026, leagues will realign into four four-team divisions by replacing AL Central and NL Central with AL South, AL North, NL South, and NL North. That division split will have greater competition between rivals and also reduce travelling. The most important effect of the alignment is that each league will get one more division winner, hence one more playoff berth while keeping two wild cards. Season scheduling Season scheduling will be somewhat different by 2050 than present scheduling. Currently, every team play 20 interleague games per season. But by 2050, all teams will play 27 interleague games per season. Like present, they will play 162 games in the season by mid-century. Dates of , season finale, All-Star Game, and schedule will be the same, but the postseason will be little different to be mentioned below. By that season with four four-team divisions in each league, the number of series teams will play with the other teams are listed below. *Against the division rivals, every team will play 54 games/18 series (18 games/6 series against each team). *Against the intradivision opponents, every team will play 81 games/27 series (6 games/2 series against each of the 9 teams, 9 games/3 series against each of the 3 teams). *Against the interleague opponents, every team will play 27 games/9 series, including 6 games/2 series against the interleague rival. Since they won't be playing against every team from a different league, teams will mainly be played in an interleague division determined by the four-year rotation as well as at least one team from three other divisions. **In the years when every team play in an interleague division outside of their cross-division (e.g. AL West vs. NL East, AL East vs. NL South), they will play all four teams in their designated division for 3 games/1 series each, 6 games/2 series against the interleague rival (3 games/1 series each at home and on the road), and 9 games/3 series against teams from other interleague division, 3 games/1 series against one team from each non-designated division, including one from the cross division. **In the years when every team play in the cross interleague division (e.g. AL North vs. NL North), they will play all four teams in their cross division for a total of 18 games/6 series, including 6 games/2 series against the interleague rival and 6 games/2 series against the randomly selected team from that cross division, 3 games/1 series each at home and on the road, and 9 games/3 series against teams from other interleague division, 3 games/1 series against one team from each non-designated division. Postseason In the same year when two new teams were added and divisions were realigned, in 2026, the Wild Card matchup will be added to each league and expanded to a best-of-three League Wild Card Series (LWCS). Since there will be an extra division, hence one more division winner in each league, two more playoff qualifier will be added to MLB to increase the number of playoff qualifiers to 12, six in each league. The LWCS will be different as it won’t have just wild card teams playing, but wild card qualifiers playing against the lower seeded division winners, just like the Wild Card Round in the NFL. The winners of LWCS will advance to the LDS, the winner of #3 and #6 seeded team matchup will face the #2 seeded team in the LDS, while the winner of #4 and #5 seeded matchup in the LWCS will face the #1 seeded team in the LDS. From then on, playoff format will be the same as present, with the best-of-five LDS, best-of-seven LCS, and best-of-seven World Series. Teams arranged in divisions Present Below lists the current teams with six divisions, three in each league. Each division contain five teams. Future Below shows what the divisions and team colors will be like in 2050. Relocated and renamed teams except for White Sox and Rays will have different colors than current name teams in current cities. The main present team colors for Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres would have changed considerably by 2050, plus minor changes for Milwaukee Brewers, Dallas Rangers, New York Yankees, and Kansas City Royals. They will have eight divisions (four in each league), each containing four teams. Interleague rivalries Below lists interleague rival pairs as well as series matchup names between them by 2050. These pairs play six games against one another every year, three at each ballpark. Two pairs are located in the same city (New York and Los Angeles), three pairs are in different cities within the same state (e.g. Cleveland Blues & Cincinnati Reds), and eleven are in different states, districts or provinces (e.g. Toronto Blue Jays & Montreal Saints). Possible milestones By 2100, I expect that we will have lot more milestones and a lot of current records will break. The examples of milestones may include (current records are in parentheses) *A batter may hit 800 s in their career ( hit 762 home runs in his career) *A batter may hit 80 home runs in a single season (Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs in 2001) *A batter may hit home runs in 10 consecutive games ( (1956), (1987), and (1993) hit home runs in 8 consecutive games) *A batter may get 200 s in a single season ( had 191 RBIs in 1930) *A batter may hit 40 in a single season ( hit 36 triples in 1912) *A batter may hit in a single season in at least 500 s ( had a .440 batting average in 539 at-bats in 1894) *A batter may have a 60-game ( had a 56-game hitting streak in 1941) *A batter may get 300 in a single season ( had 262 hits in 2004) *A batter may get 5000 hits in their career ( had 4,256 hits in his career) *A player may play 3000 consecutive games ( played 2,632 consecutive games) *A runner may reach base 100 consecutive games ( reached base 84 consecutive games in 1949) *A runner may 150 bases in a single season ( stole 130 bases in 1982) *A runner may steal 1500 bases in their career (Rickey Henderson stole 1,406 bases in his career) *A pitcher may throw 10 consecutive s ( threw 6 consecutive shutouts in 1968) *A pitcher may throw 3 consecutive s ( threw 2 consecutive no-hitters in 1938) *A pitcher may throw 2 consecutive s (23 pitchers threw 1 consecutive perfect game) *A pitcher may throw 10 no-hitters in their career ( threw 7 no-hitters in his career) *A pitcher may throw 3 perfect games in their career (23 pitchers accomplished the feat once) *A pitcher may record 6000 strikeouts in their career ( recorded 5,714 strikeouts in his career) *A pitcher may go 100 innings without issuing a ( went 84.1 innings without issuing a walk in 1962) *A pitcher may throw 30 straight hitless innings ( went 25.1 straight hitless innings in 1904) *A pitcher may throw 300 straight homerless innings during the ( went 269.1 straight homerless innings from 1979–1982) *A pitcher may throw 75 straight scoreless innings ( went 60.1 straight scoreless innings from 1988–1989) *A pitcher may throw 20 straight perfect innings ( went 15 straight perfect innings in 2009) *A pitcher may throw 110 mph (106 mph pitch thrown by in 2011) *A team may win 30 consecutive games (Chicago Cubs won 21 straight games in 1935) *A team may finish the 162-game season with 120 (116 wins by Seattle Mariners in 2001) *A team may score 20 in one inning (Chicago White Stockings scored 18 runs in 7th inning on September 6, 1883) *A team may score 40 runs in a game (Chicago Colts scored 36 runs on June 29, 1897) *A team may shutout the opponents 40 times in a single season (Chicago Cubs shutout the opponents 32 times in 1907 and 1909) *A team may overcome a 10-run deficit in the ninth inning and win it (1901 Blues and 1990 Phillies overcame an 8-run deficit in the ninth inning and won) *A team may get 20 s in a single season (New York Yankees got 17 walk-off wins in 1943) *A team may get involved in 40 games in a single season (Boston Red Sox played 31 extra inning games in 1943) *A team may turn 5 s in a single season (Boston Red Sox and San Jose Athletics turned 3 as the most recent record in 1979) *A team may hit 300 home runs in a single season (Seattle Mariners hit 264 home runs in 1997) *A game may last 30 innings (a game between and lasted 26-innings that ended in a tie due to nightfalling on May 1, 1920) *There may be 5 perfect games during the single MLB season (3 perfect games in 2012) *There may be 15 no-hitters during the single MLB season (8 no-hitters in 1884). If the Yankees keep rolling along during the 21st century like they did during the 20th century, they may have 50-time World Series Champions by 2100. But I predict that the Yankees will only win two more world championships this century, which will then not be at least a 30-time World Series Champion by 2100. I also predict that all 32 teams will win at least one world championship from now till the turn of the 22nd century. Predicted World Series Champions * 2016: Giants over Red Sox 4–3 * 2017: Angels over Giants 4–1 * 2018: Tigers over Dodgers 4–0 * 2019: Red Sox over Cardinals 4–2 * 2020: Rays over Cardinals 4–2 * 2021: Braves over Athletics 4–1 * 2022: Angels over Reds 4–0 * 2023: Tigers over Brewers 4–3 * 2024: Nationals over Rays 4–3 * 2025: Dodgers over Angels 4–3 * 2026: Mariners over Marlins 4–2 * 2027: White Sox over Reds 4–1 * 2028: Athletics over Mets 4–2 * 2029: Athletics over Rockies 4–3 * 2030: Pirates over Rays 4–3 * 2031: Pirates over Blues 4–2 * 2032: Dodgers over Mariners 4–2 * 2033: Rays over Rockies 4–0 * 2034: Rockies over Astronauts 4–0 * 2035: Brewers over Rays 4–1 * 2036: Nationals over Rays 4–1 * 2037: Blues over Mets 4–3 * 2038: Rockies over Angels 4–2 * 2039: Rangers over Rockies 4–2 * 2040: Yankees over Reds 4–0 * 2041: Nationals over Astronauts 4–0 * 2042: Reds over Royals 4–2 * 2043: Cubs over Athletics 4–0 * 2044: Cardinals over Twins 4–2 * 2045: Marlins over Pioneers 4–1 * 2046: Brewers over Pioneers 4–2 * 2047: Angels over Padres 4–2 * 2048: White Sox over Phillies 4–2 * 2049: Rays over Dodgers 4–1 * 2050: Nationals over Astronauts 4–2 * 2051: Phillies over Red Sox 4–2 * 2052: Cubs over White Sox 4–1 * 2053: Rockies over Twins 4–3 * 2054: Twins over Padres 4–3 * 2055: Rangers over Rockies 4–3 * 2056: Rockies over Orioles 4–3 * 2057: Yankees over Saints 4–0 * 2058: Mets over White Sox 4–1 * 2059: White Sox over Diamondbacks 4–1 * 2060: Cubs over Tigers 4–3 * 2061: Phillies over Athletics 4–3 * 2062: Pioneers over Colonials 4–3 * 2063: Pirates over Rangers 4–0 * 2064: Oaks over Pioneers 4–3 * 2065: Royals over Diamondbacks 4–3 * 2066: Rays over Colonials 4–2 * 2067: Blue Jays over Nationals 4–3 * 2068: Cardinals over Blues 4–0 * 2069: Red Sox '''over Padres 4–0 * 2070: '''Twins over Padres 4–0 * 2071: Saints over Tigers 4–0 * 2072: Tigers over Phillies 4–0 * 2073: Cubs over White Sox 4–2 * 2074: Seals over Tigers 4–1 * 2075: Seals over Blues 4–3 * 2076: Royals over Phillies 4–1 * 2077: Mets over Red Sox 4–2 * 2078: Pirates over Angels 4–3 * 2079: Oaks over Pioneers 4–0 * 2080: Seals over Pioneers 4–1 * 2081: Padres over Angels 4–1 * 2082: Brewers over Yankees 4–0 * 2083: Diamondbacks over Yankees 4–1 * 2084: Seals over Royals 4–3 * 2085: Orioles over Rockies 4–2 * 2086: Seals over Red Sox 4–2 * 2087: Cubs over Yankees 4–3 * 2088: Blue Jays over Cardinals 4–0 * 2089: Cubs over Red Sox 4–3 * 2090: Colonials over Blues 4–2 * 2091: Tigers over Reds 4–3 * 2092: Blues over Dodgers 4–3 * 2093: Oaks over Rangers 4–0 * 2094: Seals over Yankees 4–1 * 2095: White Sox over Mets 4–3 * 2096: Mariners over Diamondbacks 4–1 * 2097: Blue Jays over Hubs 4–3 * 2098: Pioneers over Reds 4–3 * 2099: Nationals over Angels 4–3 * 2100: Cubs over Rays 4–3 * 2101: Nationals over Rays 4–3 * 2102: Royals over Phillies 4–2 * 2103: Nationals over Rays 4–0 * 2104: Phillies over Yankees 4–3 * 2105: Twins over Rockies 4–1 External links *Future MLB expansion *Where Should MLB's Next Expansion Teams Go? 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